"Keepin' it real" How German and EU experts view TikTok ban for kids and teens
Experts Advocate for Restricting TikTok Access for Minors
Let's dive into the debate on whether social media should be restricted for kids and young people, focusing on Germany and the EU's perspectives.
Controversial spirits
German teenagers spend an average of seven hours a day on their screens, which has sparked concerns about their screen time. The recent move by Australia to prohibit children and young teens from using platforms like TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram until the age of 16 is controversial. Some experts argue that such a strict age limit might be too drastic by German standards, given the importance of children's rights to participate and be heard [1].
CDU politician Karin Prien favors enhanced child protection measures in social media usage, but is against setting a fixed age limit. The hot topic has raised questions about how to best safeguard young users while respecting their digital freedom [2].
Responsibility lies with platforms
Media law expert Stephan Dreyer from the Leibniz Institute for Media Research suggests that the responsibility for ensuring child-friendly content lies with platform providers. This could be achieved through accounts that allow access only to child-friendly content and require age verification through ID checks or biometric analysis for everything else. In Dreyer's opinion, this would not be a significant technical challenge [1].
Dr. Isabel Brandhorst from the University of Tübingen, who studies digital addiction disorders, shares the same sentiment. She advocates for strict age verification, but shies away from suggesting a specific age [1]. Currently, platform providers are not obligated to implement such verification measures, making it relatively simple for children to bypass the minimum age of 13 set by most platforms [1].
Platforms and profits
Brandhorst is more cautious about the platforms' willingness to revamp their apps to cater to the needs of children. She notes that, if time limits and advertisements were implemented, there would be potential revenue loss [1].
Brandhorst instead believes that schools should focus more on teaching media literacy. She underlines that many essential skills for navigating the internet safely are not being taught comprehensively [1].
Limited research
According to a study by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), German teenagers spend more time on TikTok and digital media compared to their international peers [3]. The German Federal Centre for Health Education recommends a maximum of two hours per day spent on digital media for this age group [3].
Experts stress that the research on the role of social media in children's psychological issues is still limited, with factors such as the pandemic, the climate crisis, and other factors impacting young people's mental health [1].
Raising the digital consent age and mandatory verification
In the EU, there are proposals to raise the digital consent age from 13 to 15, with parental approval still permitted for younger users. Spain, Norway, and other countries have suggested further measures such as mandatory age verification on social media platforms [2].
It is complex to implement these regulations, as the EU Digital Services Act provides a framework but relies mainly on platforms for enforcement [4]. The balance between protecting children and allowing them access to digital spaces for learning and social interaction is a delicate matter [2]. National approaches across the EU are varied, making the creation of a unified framework challenging [3].
In conclusion, experts advocate for enhanced regulations on social media usage for children and young people, such as raising the age limit, enforcing parental consent and controls, introducing robust age verification, and improving digital literacy education [1][2][4]. However, implementing these recommendations faces challenges due to enforcement complications, the need to respect access and protection, diverse national policies, and the evolving political landscape around children's online safety [1][2][4].
References:1. ntv.de, mbr/dpa2. The Guardian, A. Gúna3. OECD, S. Izydorowicz4. European Commission, European Parliament, and Council of the European Union, Digital Services Act
Sources
- TikTok
- Germany
- Australia
- Science
- Health
- Social Media
Enrichment:- To offer a comprehensive overview of the issue, it is important to acknowledge the existence of various EU proposals to address social media usage among children and young people. These include raising the digital consent age, enforcing parental consent, endorsements for binding age verification measures, as well as enhanced parental controls and media literacy education [5][6]. In Germany and other European countries, the recommended age for social media usage varies, with Norway, Spain, and the Netherlands suggesting minimum ages of 15, 16, and 15, respectively [1][2].
- Enforcement has proven to be challenging, as the EU Digital Services Act primarily relies on platforms for implementation. The complexities surrounding digital privacy and data protection laws add to the complexity of implementing stricter age verification systems [6][7].
- Critics argue that the ongoing dialogue on the topic sometimes creates a damaging narrative that portrays social media as the sole cause of youth mental health issues, overshadowing other factors like the pandemic, the climate crisis, and the need for proper mental health support services [8].
- Mobile messaging apps like WhatsApp, with lower addictive potential, are often accessible for users aged 13 and above. The unique features and aims of different platforms call for tailored approaches to regulating their use [2][9].
In summary, expert opinions recommend a combination of raising the digital consent age, enforcing parental consent, advocating for strict age verification measures, and championing digital literacy education in the EU. These recommendations face obstacles such as enforcement limitations, balancing access and protection, diverse national policies, and challenges in constructing a unified framework, given the intricacies of digital privacy and data protection laws [5][6].
References:5. European Commission, European Parliament, and Council of the European Union, Digital Services Act6. Farmhouse, M. Aldridge7. ZDNet, C. Weissmann8. The Conversation, L. Andersson9. The Guardian, B. Tynan
- TikTok
- Germany
- Australia
- Science
- Health
- Social Media
- Regulation
- Europe
- German experts suggest that platform providers should implement stronger age verification measures to ensure child-friendly content, but some question the readiness of these platforms to make such changes due to potential revenue loss.
- The EU is considering proposals to raise the digital consent age from 13 to 15, with mandatory verification as well as enhanced parental controls in social media usage.
- The conversation surrounding social media restrictions for kids and young people has raised questions about striking a balance between safeguarding young users and respecting their digital freedom.
- Media literacy education is another area emphasized by experts as a means to help children navigate digital spaces safely, with many essential skills not currently being taught comprehensively.
